Fibrous product and apparatus for and method of producing

ABSTRACT

A fibrous product capable of being formed into a yarn comprising a loosely associated sliver-like grouping of discontinuous synthetic fibers; at least a portion of the fibers at each increment of length of the product form a continuous coherent system of fibers establishing dimensional stability to the product; and other fibers of the grouping intermittently form a secondary coherent system bending outwardly between spaced locations along the length of the product to impart a non-uniform character to the product, and apparatus for and method of producing the product by laterally condensing the fibers of a web.

United States Patent Lan lois et al. Se t. 3 1974 [54] FIBROUS PRODUCT AND APPARATUS FOR 3,732,684 5/1973 Csok et al. 57/140 BY AND METHOD OF PRODUCING [75] Inventors: Roland E. Langlois; Cletis L. Primary Emmi'?er john Huckert Roberson, both of Newark, Ohio 32 i 7f g g g j? J hn W orne gen 0r zrm 1 0 [73] Assignee: Owens-Corning Fiberglas m R n ld C, Hudgens Corporation, Toledo, Ohio [22] Filed: Aug. 10, 1972 57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 279,575 A fibrous product capable of being formed into a yarn comprising a loosely associated sliver-like grouping of discontinuous synthetic fibers; at least a portion of the [52] US. Cl 57/140 J, 57/140 G, 65/9 fibers at each increment of length of the roduct form 51 Int Cl D02g 3/34 Y P Field J 140 G a continuous coherent system of fibers establishing dia c 57/l40 BY 6 65/4 mensional stability to the product; and other fibers of the grouping intermittently form a secondary coherent system bending outwardlybetween spaced locations [56] References Clted along the length of the product to impart a non- UNITED STATES PATENTS uniform character to the product, and apparatus for 2,985,995 5/1961 Bunting, Jr. et al. 57/140 R and method of producing the product by laterally con- 3,079,746 3/1963 Field, .11. 57/140 R X densin the fibers of a web 3,411,287 11/1968 Benson 57/140 J g 3,448,500 6/1969 Benson 57/140 R X 11 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTED8EP3 4 3.832.840

- SHEET 1 [1F 3 PAIENTEU SW3 4.

summers FIBROUS PRODUCT AND APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF PRODUCING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Textile yarn made of continuous synthetic filaments are dense and are artificial feeling. Hence, therehas been aneed to produce synthetic fiber textile yarns that look and feel like natural fiber yarns.

Yarn texturing is one conventionalcommercial way to produce a more natural appearance and feel to continuous synthetic fiber yarn. Herecontinuous'filament yarn is processed in one of several conventional -ways. For example, the yarn can be processed by false-twist, knit-de-knit or air bulking apparatus. Such apparatus produces essentially bulky continuous filament yarn that meets some textileneeds.

Another conventional commercial approach produces what is known as spun yarn. Continuous filaments are formed into a heavy weight bundle called a tow that is subsequently crimped and at times chopped into short lengths. These chopped fibers, called staple fibers, are then processed through modified spinning apparatus into spun yarn. This yarn has a soft bulky feel and an appearance different from continuous filament yarn. A

Each of these basic conventional methods starts with the manufacture of acontinuous filament yarn that must undergo secondary processing to avoid its hard characteristics. The conventional approaches, such as those mentioned and their many variations, require one or more secondary processes; these are expensive and in many cases difficult to. control. Hence, there is a need for a fresh approach in producing natural feeling and appearing yarn of synthetic filaments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is an improved sliver-like product of discontinuous synthetic fibers that is processable into a yarn and apparatus for and method of producing such a product.

Another object of the invention is an improved sliverlike product including discontinuous fibers that has bulk, softness and non-uniform or thick and thin characteristics as formed and that is ready for twisting into a yarn without secondary processing and apparatus for and method of producing the product that can control the degree of product non-uniformity and hence the non-uniformity of a yarn produced from it.

Still another object of the invention is apparatus for and method for producing a non-uniform bulky sliverlike fibrous product that can vary thedegree of nonuniform bulk in formation of the product to any desired degree of non-uniform bulk down to a substantially uniform but yet soft and bulky textured yarn. I 7

Yet another object is an improved non-uniform bulky sliver-like product of discontinuous glass fibers and apparatus for and method of producing such product by condensing a coherent web of such fibers in a fiber forming operation.

Another object is an improved bulky yarn of discontinuous synthetic fibers such as glass.

Other objects and advantageswill becomeapparent as the invention is more fully described-in connection with the following drawings.

. direction apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a photograph of a fibrous glass product according to the principles of the invention. Transmitted light-was used to project an image of the product. The photograph is of the projected image.

FIG. 2 is another photograph of the fibrous glass product shown in the photograph of FIG. 1. The product is shown supported at spaced locations along its length and is under the influence of a small amount of tension. Like the photograph of FIG. 1, FIG. 2 is a photograph of a projected image of the product.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of apparatus for producing a fibrous glass product like that shown in the photographs of FIGS. 1 and 2. The apparatus includes a rotary fiber forming means, a rotatably driven fiber collection and condensing wheel and associated flow FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3 together with a collection container arrangement.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged front view of the fiber collecting and condensing wheel and the flow directing apparatus shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the fiber collecting and condensing wheel assembly shown in FIGS. 35.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged showing of an air nozzle within the collecting and condensing wheel.

FIG. 8 is a representation of three web formations in the fiber collection or deposition region on the circumference of the fiber collecting and condensing wheel. FIG.'8a illustrates a web having a substantially uniform fiber distribution across its width. FIG. 8b illustrates a web having a substantially uniform increased fiber accumulation along a marginal region of the web. FIG. 8c illustrates a web having a marginal region of increased fiber concentration where the fiber accumulation varies along the length of the marginal region.

F169 is a view in elevation of apparatus for twisting a fibrous product like the product shown in the photographs of FIGS. 1 and 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The improved fibrous product of the invention can be made of any organic or inorganic discontinuous synthetic fibers. But discontinuous glass fibers are particularly adapted for forming the fibrous product of the invention; however, the fibrous product can be made of discontinuous organic fibers such asnylon, polyesters, and the like. Thus, it is to be understood that the term synthetic fiber as used in the specificationand claims refers to both organic and inorganic synthetic fibers.

The fibrous product of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is not a yarn, but is has enough integrity to make it capable of being twisted or formed into a yarn. Hence, the product shown is an intermediate product that is processable into a yarn. The product can be sized to enhance its coherency forprocessing.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are photographs that show a novel fibrous product according tothe invention, denoted by the reference numeral 10, comprising discontinuous glass fibers. These discontinuous glass fibers are effectively frictionally interengagedinto a relatively loosely associated and essentially no twist longitudinal coherent wispy sliver-like grouping of fibers. At least a portion of the linear grouping of fibers at each increment of length of the product are interengaged into a continuous system of fibers throughout the length of the product. And this system has enough coherency to give the product dimensional stability, particularly axial or longitudinal dimensional stability.

The fibrous product 10 is a non-uniform bulky product. Randomly along the length of the product some of the discontinuous glass fibers are separated into a coherent secondary system or coherent secondary grouping of fibers; for example, see the coherent grouping of fibers in the regions denoted by the reference numeral 12 in FIG. l and 112 in FIG. 2. These secondary fiber systems extend along devious or more lengthy paths laterally of the fibers of the continuous portion or system of the product. The continuous system is readily seen in the regions of the product 10 denoted by the reference numeral 14 in FIGS. 1 and 2. Normally, the fibers separate into only one secondary coherent system at any region of the product; however, at some locations more than one secondary system occurs. For instance, see the region indicated by the reference numeral 16 in the photograph of FIG. 1. The secondary systems of fibers occur and remerge with the remainder of the fibers at spaced regions along the length of the product. In these merged regions, for example see the regions indicated by the reference numeral 18, substantially all the fibers of the grouping form the continuous system. The secondary systems establish regions of larger cross sectional area or bulk along the length of the product. And the random occurrence of these secondary systems inparts a non-patterned bulk to the product 10.

In a sense, it is possible to consider the product 10 a single system or continuum of fibers that includes regions where random groups of the fibers of the system intermittently separate into coherent secondary fiber sub-systems. These random coherent secondary or subsystems of fibers exist in varying degress of bulk and densities. They provide to the fibrous product regions along its length of low weight and high density as well as regions of high weight and high bulk. And their paths are myriad in configuration.

The secondary systems as shown occur in a non patterned or randomed fashion along the length of the product 10. It is possible to produce the product of the invention with secondary systems that occur periodically or regularly along its length. Hence, it a broad sense, the fibrous product of the invention includes products having intermittently occurring secondary fiber systems.

Normally the length of the discontinuous glass fibers of the product 10 are in a range of from 2 to 12 inches in length. And in practice excellent fibrous products according to the invention have been made with discontinuous glass fibers having an average diameter of from to 75 hundred thousandths of an inch. Accordingly, the fibers of the fibrous product of the invention have a large length to diameter ratio.

The discontinuous glass fibers of the product are wavy. But fibrous products according to the invention can be made employing straight synthetic fibers, e.g. straight glass fibers.

Also, it has been found in practice that the average weight of a fibrous glass product like the product 10 in regions including a secondary system is on an average in the range of from slightly greater than 1 to 2.5 times the weight of the regions of the product without a secondary system. But it has been found that in some regions of the product having a secondary system or systems the weight can be as high as five times the weight of the product without a secondary system.

Normally, the cross sectional area of the fibrous product of the invention in regions including a secondary system of fibers is in a range of from two to five times larger than the cross sectional area of the product in regions without a secondary system. But is has been found that the cross sectional'area in some of the regions of the product including a secondary system can be up to 30 times larger in cross section than regions along the length of the product without a secondary system.

A secondary system ofa fibrous product of the invention can comprise from 10 to percent of the fibers in the fiber grouping or systems at any incremental length of the product.

Essentially no twist fibrous glass products according to the principles of the invention have been made that have a tensile strength as low as 0.15 grams per denier and as high as 0.3 grams per denier when pulled lengthwise from locations spaced 10 inches apart. Generally speaking, the tensile strength of the product decreases in product forms having a higher degree of bulk.

Thus, the fibrous product of the invention is a linear product of discontinuous synthetic fibers effectively interengaged into a relatively loosely associated longitudinal sliver-like grouping. At least a portion of the grouping of fibers at each increment of length of the product is interengaged into a continuous system or continuum of fibers having coherency sufficient to establish dimensional stability. Other fibers of the grouping are interengaged intermittently along the length of the product into a coherent secondary system or grouping bending outwardly of the continuous system between locations along the length of the product to impart the non-uniform bulk to the product.

The apparatus of the invention operates to produce a fibrous product according to the principles of the invention by first grouping individual synthetic fibers, such as glass fibers, in sufficient interengaging relation in a collection region to form a thin coherent web or network. The fibers of the Web are laterally condensed or gathered together into the relatively loosely associated linear wispy sliver-like grouping like the product 10 shown in the photographs of FIGS. 1 and 2. The fibers are gathered so that at least a portion of the fibers at each increment of length of the product is interengaged to form a continuous system of fibers possessing coherency sufficient to establish dimensional stability, especially longitudinal dimensional stability; apparatus selectively condenses some of the fibers of the web to provide the product with coherent secondary systems of fibers intermittently bending outwardly from the continuous system and back again between spaced locations along the length of the product.

In practice, it has been useful to produce the fibrous product of the invention directly in a fiber forming operation.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a preferred embodiment of apparatus for producing a fibrous glass product according to the principles of the invention directly in a glass fiber forming operation. A rotary fiber forming means or instrumentality 20 supplies individual discontinuous glass fibers of sufficient length that the fibers can be interengaged into a coherent web or network. Blasts of fiber attenuating gases from the instrumentality 20 carry the individual fibers to and deposit them on a moving porous circumferential surface 21 of a rotating hollow wheel 22 in sufficient number and such interengaging relation to form a coherent web or network. Discontinuous fibers from other sources might be used to supply the fibers or mixed with the fibers from the instrumentality 20 to effect a blend of the same of different fibers, e.g. organic and inorganic sythetic fibers.

A web condensing arrangement including means defining a stationary opening of progressively reducing size communicating with the circumferential surface 21 and means for establishing a reduced pressure zone within the wheel 22 to draw a fluid such as air into the opening through the fibers of the web. The moving fluid selectively laterally condenses the web of fibers into a fibrous product according to the invention.

Means within the wheel 22 clears or releases the product from the surface of the rotating wheel 22. And the tangential energy imparted to the product by the wheel 22 is sufficient to project the product tangentially away from the wheel 22. Normally, the product is released from the wheel for tangential projection downwardly to form a mat or other non-woven product on a collection surface. FIG. 4 shows the product being collected in a rotating container 24. A winder can be used to collect the product as a wound package. It is important to collect the product under conditions that sustain its bulk.

In the embodiment illustrated a feeder 30 supplies a stream of molten glass 32 from a tubular outlet 34 downwardly to the interior of an inclined hollow centrifuging spinner or rotor 36. The feeder 30 can connect to a forehearth that supplies molten glass from a furnace or can connect to other means for supplying molten glass in a conventional manner. Other heat softened fiber forming material can be supplied to the spinner through the feeder 30.

FIG. 3 illustrates a partial cross section components of the fiber forming assembly or instrumentality 20, which includes the hollow spinner or rotor 36 fixed on the end of a rotatable shaft or quill 38, a burner 40 that provides a heated environment for primary filaments or centrifuged streams of glass from the spinner 36 and a blower 42 for delivering a gaseous blast into engagement with the primary fibers or small streams of glass to attenuate them into discontinuous glass fibers.

The assembly 30 is shown in an inclined disposition. In practice an inclination of 45 from the horizontal has given good results.

An electric motor 44 drives the quill 38, and hence the spinner 36, in high speed rotation. The quill 38 is shown disposed in an inclined position extending through a housing 46. Bearings within the housing 46 journally support the quill 38 for rotation.

The spinner 36 as shown is a one piece hollow disclike member including a circular solid bottom wall 48; a cylindrical circumferential side wall 50. having rows of glass outlet openings or passageways 52 communicating with the interior of the spinner 36; and an inwardly extending circular flange 54 defining an opening 56 at the upper region of the spinner.

The glass stream 32 moves downwardly along a path through the opening 56 to the inclined bottom wall 48. As the motor 44 rotates the spinner 36, the molten glass of the stream moves outwardly along the interior of the circumferential wall 50 and leaves the rotating spinner 36 through the openings 52 as primary fibers or streams.

In practice, the spinner 36 is normally from 4 to 8 inches in diameter and normally includes from 1,000 to 4,000 glass outlet openings. The spinner is normally rotated at an angular speed of from 3,000 to 7,500 rpms to produce a fibrous glass product like that shown in the photographs of FIGS. 1 and 2.

The burner 40 includes an' annular shaped mixing and distribution chamber 58 with an inlet tube 60. The tube 60 connects at one end with a supply of fuel and air mixture and delivers the mixture to the burner 40. A valve 62 is disposed along the length of the tube 60 to control delivery of the combustible mixture into the annular chamber 58.

The burner 40 provides a variously sized annular discharge passageway 64. The combustible mixture from the chamber 58 is burned in the region of a screen 66 in the passageway 64. Flames or hot gases of combustion from the region of the screen 66 leave the passageway 64 to provide a heated environment for the primary filaments or small streams centrifuged from the openings 52 in the circumferential wall of the rotating spinner 50.

The blower 42 includes a member providing an annular chamber 70 having an air outlet nozzle 72 including circumferentially spaced slots or orifices.

The chamber 70 is supplied with gaseous fluid under pressure, such as compressed air, from a supply through an inlet tube 74. The compressed gas is delivered through the slots of the nozzle 72 as a high velocity gaseous fiber-attenuating blast. A valve 76 is along the tube 74 to regulate the admission of gas to the chamber 70 and hence the velocity of the fiber attenuating blast. In operation the high velocity products of combustion discharged from the burner 40 flow over the circumferential moving surface of the spinner 36 to engage the primary fibers or streams leaving the openings 52 of the circumferential wall 50. Thereafter the fibers are further engaged by the gaseous blast from the blower 42. Hence, the attenuated fibers are moved by an envelope or body of moving gaseous media; a body 80 of gases and fibers is produced.

The body 80 is, in a sense, an envelope or body of gas and glass fibers moving with generally reducing cross section away from the rotating spinner 36 as more fully explained hereinafter. In practice, the transverse cross sectional shape of the body 80 is generally circular. And in practice, a 3 /2 inch width wheel 22 (width of the surface 21) has given good results.

Rotation of the spinner 36 imparts a considerable component of angular velocity to the primary glass fibers in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of the quill 38. However, the moving blasts of gaseous fluids from the burner 40 and blower 42 modify this initially spinner imparted velocity until the major component of fiber velocity is in a direction moving towards the fiber collection region on the circumferential surface 21 of the rotating wheel 22. Similarly, the initial generally spiral paths imparted to the attenuated fibers by the spinner 36 become a more or less linear path moving in the direction of gas movement toward the circumference of the wheel 22.

The reducing size of the body 80 brings the attenuated fibers into closer and closer relationship. The flow in the body 80 at a location spaced from the spinner 36 brings the fibers together into what can be considered an inchoate or incipient network of gas borne but interconnected fibers. And the wheel 22 is located with its circumferential surface 21 in this region of the body 80. It has been a practice to make the width of the wheel (width of the surface 21) 22 substantially the same size as the diameter of the body 80 in the fiber depositing region.

The fibers are continuosly deposited on the moving porous circumferential surface 21 of the hollow wheel 22 in sufficient number and in such interengaging relation that a thin coherent web or network of fibers is continuously formed at a circumferential collection region on the wheel. Fibers of the network are continuously removed from the zone of deposition by the advancing surface 21 and are progressively laterally condensed into afibrous product according to the invention. The deposition of the fibers as they are deposited and the combining" action effected by the movement of the surface 21 work together to orient the fibers generally parallel to the circumferential axis of the surface Referring to FIGS. 3-6 the web processing apparatus of the wheel 22 and associated apparatus can be seen to be a rotary assembly 84 and a stationary flow directing assembly 86.

In the embodiment shown the rotary assembly 84 includes a stationary portion and a rotary portion. The rotary portion comprises the wheel 22, which is a one piece bowl shaped member, having a porous circular peripheral wall 88 defining the circumferential surface 21. The surface 21 has a groove 90 fashionedat one edge; the groove 90 extends around the entire circumference of the wheel 22 to form a circular groove and is generally U shaped in cross-section. As shown the groove 90 is at the open end of the bowl shaped wheel 22 and extends in the direction parallel to the circumferential axis of the wheel 22.

Normally the wall 88 of the wheel 22 is somewhat tapered towards the closed end of the wheel. The angle of taper, shown as angle B in FIGS. 5 and 6, is normally a small angle of from 5 to The inclined surface 21 promotes an orientation of the fibers in a direction parallel to the circumferential axis of the surface 21 during a lateral gathering or condensing of the fibers of the web towards the groove 90 during rotation of the wheel The wheel 22 is fixed on the end of shaft 92, which is generally held horizontally for rotation in bearing member 94. The bearing member 94 forms part of the stationary portion of the rotary assembly 84. A motor rotates the wheel 22 through the rotation of the shaft 92.

It is possible to use other means providing a fiber deposition or collection surface. For example, it is possible to use a hollow disc or a hoop such as a wheel rim with a flat surface. Also, it is possible to use a continuous belt. But the wheel 22 is preferred form.

Referring more specifically to FIG. 5, the stationary assembly includes a circular mounting plate 100, the bearing mem ber 94 and means defining three chambers, viz. chambers 102, 104, and 106.

In the embodiment shown, an enclosure 108 and a partition 110 within the enclosure defines the compartments 104 and 106. The enclosure 108 includes a side wall 112, end walls 114 and 116 and a curved top wall 118. The shape of the top wall 118 and of the top of the partition 110 conform to the interior shape of the circumferential wall 88 of the wheel 22. The top wall 118 includes a circumferential opening 120 of progressively narrowing dimension. The partition 110 within the enclosure 108 divides its interior into the compartments 104 and 106. One or more compartments can be used.

A partition 122 and the end wall 116, together with the closed end of the wheel 22, form the compartment 102.

A pressure deferential, conventionally accomplished by suction, is maintained across the opening 120.

Each of the compartments communicates with a reduced pressure zone, which can be established in a conventional manner. Tubes 124, 126 and 128 each communicate at one end, through an opening in the plate 100, with compartments 102, 104 and 106 respectively. The other end of each of these tubes communi-- cates with an individual reduced pressure zone. Hence, a fluid media such as air can be sucked through the porous wall 88 into each of the compartments. In practice, the tubes 126 and 128 connect the compartments 104 and 106 with zones of unequal reduced pressure to effect a substantially uniform flow of air into the narrowing opening 120 along its entire length. In practice, the suction applied to the chamber 104 is normally in a range of from 5-20 inches of water; the suction applied to the chamber 106 is normally in a range of from 15-20 inches of water.

In practice, the chamber 102 is below the fiber deposition zone of the circumferential surface 21 of the wheel 22. The reduced pressure established in the chamber 102 draws attenuating gases of the body through the porous wall 88 of the wheel 22. Futher, the suction traps or holds glass fibers of the body 80 on the moving circumferential surface 21. Normally the suction is sufficient to draw the gases of attenuation into the chamber 102 at a rate that overcomes blow back of these gases from the surface 21. Such blow-back tends to disrupt fiber deposition on the surface 21. A suction in the range of from 5-8 inches of water is normally used.

Further, the motor 98 rotates the wheel 22 sufficiently fast to withdraw the coherent fiber web from the deposition zone at a rate substantially equal to the rate of web formation. However, the speed of the pulling wheel 22 may be varied to change the thickness of the coherent fiber web.

The moving surface 21 advances the web across the top of the enclosure 108 to the opening 120 for condensing. The largest width of the opening 120 is normally substantially the width of the opening of the compartment 102 at the surface 21. As shown the largest width of compartment 102. opening is somewhat smaller than the width of the comparmtnel02. The

width of the opening 120 can progressively reduce along its entire length, or, as shown, can include a narrowing portion 120a and a substantially constant width portion 12%. The portion 12% is generally under the groove into which the product is moved.

In practice air drawn into the opening moves the fibers of the web laterally into the groove 90 as the linear fibrous product of the invention.

Porosity of the circumferential wall 88 is important. The porosity of the wall 88 must be sufficient to permit fluid flow into the interior of the wheel 22 with sufficient energy to withdraw the gases of fiber attenuation and hold the web onto the advancing surface 21 at the region of fiber deposition. Further, the porosity of the wall 88 must permit sufficient air to flow across the fibers of the web into the opening 120 to progressively condense the web as the web moves across the opening 120. Yet, the openings in the surface 21 should not be so large that fibers become trapped in them. In practice good results have obtained using a wall 88 with openings having a diameter of .070 inches. In such an arrangement these holes are aligned in 24 rows, each having 336 equally spaced openings where the wheel 22 is 14 inches in diameter (smallest diameter).

The stationary assembly includes means for releasing the product from the rotating wheel 22. As more clearly shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, an air tube immediately below the enclosure 108 discharges a stream of air through the porous circumferential wall of the wheel 22. This stream or blast of air directed outwardly through the porous wall 88 wheel 22 effects disengagement of the sliver-like product from the moving wheel. The tube 130 is connected to any supply of suitable gas, e.g. air, under pressure.

The assembly 86 is at the upper side of the wheel 22. And as shown the assembly 86 includes two spaced apart opposing stationary curvilinear wall'members or flow director elements 140 and 142 oriented traverse to the axis of the wheel 22 and at the edge regions of the wheels circumferential surface 22. These members promote reduction in the cross section of the body of gas and fibers 80. The members reduce induced air flow into the body. This keeps the fluid energy of the body 80 high, which effects a contraction of the body 80. The pressure rise of the gaseous fluid of the body 80 must be kept low enough for substantially uniform flow towards the collection surface 21. A steep pressure gradient can cause disturbed fluid flow of the gases.

The wall members 140 and 142 include flow director or control surfaces 140s and 142s, which are inclined to the circumferential surface 21 of the wheel 22. Themember 142 is adjacent to the groove 90; as shown the member 142 is at the other edge of the surface 22 and located to intercept a portion of the outer region of the body of gas and fibers 80 rushing to the circumferential surface 21 of the wheel 22 from the fiber forming zone. The zone of impingement of the gases and fibers against the surface 140s is adjacent the deposition zone and is generally indicated by the dashed line region denoted A in FIGS. 3 and 5.

Impingement of the body 80 against the surface 140s creates a complex flow disturbance in the region of impingement. In practice, it has been observed that the inclined diposition of the surface 140s operates to disturb the flow of the body 80 to somewhat condense the fibers. Fibers in the impingement region move down the surface 140s to deposit a higher fiber concentration or accumulation of fibers per unit width in the portion of the web formed adjacent to the wall 140 than the web portion .formed by the fibers deposited by the undisturbed portion of the body of gas and fibers 80.

The surface 140s and the outer portion of the body 80 forms an angle C," generally indicated in FIG. 5. In practice the surface 140s and the outer portion of the body 80 may be substantially parallel. Hence, the angle C" can be very small.

At small angles C the surface 140s only disturbs the flow of the body 80 by diverting the path of the gas and fibers. Hence, at smaller angles of impingement a substantially uniform increased accumulation of fibers is deposited in the marginal rib of the web having a higher accumulation of fibers. Such a web arrangement is represented in FIG. 812. But at larger angles C" the fluid flow becomes changed and more complex; random flow perturbations or disturbances begin to occur. These flow disturbances effect a varying rate of discharge of fibers from the surface 1405. The result is an erratic deposition of fibers onto the deposition surface 21. The flow perturbations or disturbances tend to increase with an increa"e in angle C. Such a fiber disposition in a resulting web is represented in FIG. 8c; in a marginal rib region has a higher accumulation of fibers that varies in concentration along its length.

It is possible to include means for varying the inclined position of the surface 140s during operation to somewhat control the accumulation of fibers deposited in the marginal web region of higher fiber accumulation. Further, it is possible to include a flow surface arrangement that uses means such as a member to intermittently, e.g. periodically, protrude above an impingement surface such as the surface 140s in the zone of impingement by the body 80. Such a member, during times of projection, would tend to impede fiber travel to the collecting surface (surface 21). The result is a variation in the accumulation of fibers in the marginal web portion of higher fiber accumulation; moreover, the variations tend to follow movement of the member. Also, it is possible to include means for disturbing a flow director durface like 140s such as a pulse generator effecting distortion of the surface on a regular basis. Moreover, it is possible to use a fluidic pulse generator to create periodically a flow disturbance in an outer portion of the body to effect a marginal mat region as represented in FIGS. Be.

It is possible and at times desirable to position the elements 140 and 142 to only shape the body gases and fibers 80. In such an arrangement, the location of the wall 140 would locate the surface 140s out of intercepting relation with the body of air and fibers 80. A web of substantially uniform fiber concentration results as represented in FIG. 8a. Also, it is possible to adjust the amount of suction within the wheel 22 to effect a condensing of all the fibers of the web. This is especially true for a uniform web as shown in FIG. 8a.

The fibers of the web are laterally condensed or gathered as the surface 21 of the wheel 22 moves the web across the stationary opening of progressively decreasing or narrowing dimension. Air is moved, e.g. drawn, into the compartments 104 and 106 along the surface 21 through the fibers of the web and the porous surface 21 with sufficient energy to progressively laterally move the fibers of the web to condense or gather them as they are moved towards the groove 90. Fiber condensing progressively occurs generally in accordance with the diminishing width of the opening 120.

In the condensing region the energy of the moving air and the fiber distribution of the web cooperate to product a fibrous product according to the invention. The energy of air drawn into the opening is sufficient to effect a condensing of fibers. But the energy of the air drawn into the opening 120 is also sufficiently weak to randomly permit at least a portion of the fibers in the higher fiber accumulation marginal region of the web to escape from the condensing influence of the moving air. This is especially true when the region of higher fiber accumulation is uniform as represented in FIG.

Generally it is heavier regions of the web that escape from the condensing influence of air moving into the opening. Hence, random variation of fiber accumulation in the marginal region of the web contributes to random occurrence of secondary fiber systems along the length of the fibrous product. Similarly, an orderly variation in accumulation of fibers in the region of higher fiber accumulation tends to influence a more orderly occurrence of the secondary fiber systems along the length of the fibrous product.

It is believed portions of the web that escape or successfully resist the condensing influence of air moving intothe opening 120 develop the secondary system of fibers and that this'development takes place generally as depicted in FIG. 5. This Figure illustrates a product according to the invention during development. A web is formed with a marginal region of substantially uniform increased fiber accumulation (like the representation in FIG. 8b). The point identified by a shows the location along the web that was not condensed by air moving into the opening .120. The region identified by a shows a grouping of fibers that continued along the length of the opening 120 wihtout being appreciably condensed'The location identified by 12 represents a location where the marginal region again is being condensed with other fibers of the web. The location identified by indicates the point where air moving into the opening 120 begins to laterally condense fibers of the web. The reference letter d indicates a dispersed fiber region wherein a few fibers provide connecting continuity between the continuous fiber system alongab and the secondary system extending along a'ab.

By modifying conditions such as controlling the width of the web formed from the disturbed region of the body 80 along the member 140 (for example by increasing the area or angle of impingement), modifying the suction applied to the compartmentsl04 and 106 and controlling the variations in fiber concentration in the marginal region of the web, it is possible to influence the frequency and size of the secondary systems produced along the length of a fibrous product according to theprinciples of the invention.

Normally the reduced pressure zones for both the compartments 104 and 106 are adjusted to effect a uniform drawing of air into them through the fibers of the web along the entire length of the opening 120.

A tube 150 directs a jet of air against the fibrous product as it leaves the condensing region. And this final jet of air tends to accentuate the effect of the condensing zone of the web. The jet tends to draft the secondary systems along the length of the fibrous product to provide a greater catenary form to the secondary systems and hence bulk to the product.

The jet of air from the nozzle 130 within the wheel 22 effects a release of the product from the product delivery groove 90 as the product leaves the compaction or condensing region. v

The tangential energy imparted to the product by the rotating wheel 22 projects the product outwardly along a path tangential to the wheel 22.

In FIG. 4 the rotating wheel 22 projects the product downwardly into the container 24. A rotatably driven platform 154 supports the container 24. In other embodiments the product is released more horizontally for collection.

The product is a light wispy and fragile grouping of fibers. Hence, the collection apparatus includes means for drawing air into the open upper end of the container 24 to assist product collection. As shown, the container 24 has a porous bottom wall and the support 154 includes a porous support portion 156. A tubular member 158 is immediately below the container 24; at its remote end the member 158 communicates with a zone of reduced pressure.

The sliver-like fibrous product of the invention is capable of being further processed.

FIG. 9 shows apparatus for twisting a fibrous product of the invention. As illustrated a pair of rotatably driven product engaging rollers 160 and 162 advance the product from the container 24 to a conventional textile twisting station 164 including a rotatably driven strand 166, a ring rail 168 and ,a traveler 170 on the ring rail 168. The twisted product collects as a thick and thin" type of yarn on a vertically disposed bobbin. The product travels upwardly to turn on a pigtail 174. Thence, the produce moves horizontally to turn on a pigtail 176 and thereafter the rollers 160 and 162 pull the product across a sizing applicator 178 and provide the sized product to the twisting station 164 through a guide 180.

A fibrous product of the invention can be combined with other multifilament linear material such as yarns of other synthetic fibers. For example, the fibrous glass product 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 might be twisted and then plied together with organic yarn such as a nylon or polyester. Hence, a variety of composite yarns can be produced. Also, twisted fibrous products of the invention can be combined (e.g. plied) with themselves.

We claim: 1. A bulky fibrous product processable into a yarn comprising:

discontinuous synthetic fibers effectively interengaged into a relatively loosely associated longitudinal sliver-like grouping, at least a portion of the grouping of fibers at each increment of length of the product forming a coherent sliver-like continuous system of fibers having sufficient fiber interengagement to establish longitudinal dimensional stability, other fibers of the grouping being interengaged intermittently along the length of the product into a coherent secondary sliver-like system, the secondary system emerging to be in laterally outwardly spaced relation to the continuous system at spaced locations along the length of the product to impart a nonuniform bulky character to the product.

2. The fibrous product of claim 1 in which the secondary system occurs randomly along the length of the product.

3. The product of claim 1 in which the system includes wavy fibers.

4. A bulky fibrous product capable of being formed into a yarn comprising:

discontinuous synthetic fibers effectively interengaged into a relatively loosely associated but coherent single continuous longitudinal sliver-like system of fibers, the fibers of the system being sufficiently interengaged to establish longitudinal dimensional stability to such system, groupings of the fibers of the system being separated intermittently along the length of the product into secondarycoherent sliver-like systems of interengaged fibers extending along devious paths with respect to the remaining fibers of the system and merging with the remainder of the system at spaced regions along the length of the product, the intermittent occurrence of the secondary systems imparting a nonuniform bulk to the product.

5. The product of claim 4 in which the cross sectional area of the product in regions including a secondary system is on an average in the range of from two to five times larger than the cross sectional area of the product in the regions without a secondary system.

6. The product of claim 5 in which the cross sectional area of the product in at least some of the regions including a secondary system is up to 30 times larger than the cross sectional area of regions without a secondary system.

7. The product of claim 6 in which the fibers of the secondary system comprise from 10 to 90 percent of the fibers of the system at each incremental length of the product.

8. The product of claim 7 in which the average weight of the product in regions including a secondary system is on an average in a range of from one to two times the weight of the regions without such secondary system.

9. The product of claim 8 in which the fibers are glass.

10. The product of claim 4 in which the system has twist.

11. A bulky fibrous glass product capable of being formed in a yarn comprising:

discontinuous glass fibers effectively interengaged into a relatively loosely associated longitudinal sliver-like grouping, at least a portion of the grouping of glass fibers at each increment of length of the product forming a coherent sliver-like continuous system of glass fibers having sufficient fiber interengagement to establish longitudinal dimensional stability, other of the grouping of glass fibers being interengaged intermittently along the length of the product into a coherent secondary sliver-like system, the secondary system being in laterally outwardly spaced relation with the continuous system at spaced locations along the length of the product to impart a nonuniform bulky character to the 

1. A bulky fibrous product processable into a yarn comprising: discontinuous synthetic fibers effectively interengaged into a relatively loosely associated longitudinal sliver-like grouping, at least a portion of the grouping of fibers at each increment of length of the product forming a coherent sliverlike continuous system of fibers having sufficient fiber interengagement to establish longitudinal dimensional stability, other fibers of the grouping being interengaged intermittently along the length of the product into a coherent secondary sliver-like system, the secondary system emerging to be in laterally outwardly spaced relation to the continuous system at spaced locations along the length of the product to impart a nonuniform bulky character to the product.
 2. The fibrous product of claim 1 in which the secondary system occurs randomly along the length of the product.
 3. The product of claim 1 in which the system includes wavy fibers.
 4. A bulky fibrous product capable of being formed into a yarn comprising: discontinuous synthetic fibers effectively interengaged into a relatively loosely associated but coherent single continuous longitudinal sliver-like system of fibers, the fibers of the system being sufficiently interengaged to establish longitudinal dimensional stability to such system, groupings of the fibers of the system being separated intermittently along the length of the product into secondary coherent sliver-like systems of interengaged fibers extending along devious paths with respect to the remaining fibers of the system and merging with the remainder of the system at spaced regions along the length of the product, the intermittent occurrence of the secondary systems imparting a nonuniform bulk to the product.
 5. The product of claim 4 in which the cross sectional area of the product in regions including a secondary system is on an average in the range of from two to five times larger than the cross sectional area of the product in the regions without a secondary system.
 6. The product of claim 5 in which the cross sectional area of the product in at least some of the regions including a secondary system is up to 30 times larger than the cross sectional area of regions without a secondary system.
 7. The product of claim 6 in which the fibers of the secondary system comprise from 10 to 90 percent of the fibers of the system at each incremental length of the product.
 8. The product of claim 7 in which the average weight of the product in regions including a secondary system is on an average in a range of from one to two times the weight of the regions without such secondary system.
 9. The product of claim 8 in which the fibers are glass.
 10. The product of claim 4 in which the system has twist.
 11. A bulky fibrous glass product capable of being formed in a yarn comprising: discontinuous glass fibers effectively interengaged into a relatively loosely Associated longitudinal sliver-like grouping, at least a portion of the grouping of glass fibers at each increment of length of the product forming a coherent sliver-like continuous system of glass fibers having sufficient fiber interengagement to establish longitudinal dimensional stability, other of the grouping of glass fibers being interengaged intermittently along the length of the product into a coherent secondary sliver-like system, the secondary system being in laterally outwardly spaced relation with the continuous system at spaced locations along the length of the product to impart a nonuniform bulky character to the product. 